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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · present · cabinet · fall · wind · club · toast · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. club — for dancing
  3. present — the time now
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. club — a group
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. present — a gift
  11. toast — bread
  12. dip — to sink
  13. present — there
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. club — for golf
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bore — to drill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com